What is the capital of Palau?
Ngerulmud lies in the state of Melekeok on Babeldaob, Palau's largest island, 20 kilometres north-east of Koror City and 2 kilometres north-west of Melekeok City.
Ngerulmud is the capital and seat of government of Palau, a role it has held since October 2006. Palau itself has an estimated population of 17,663 (2025).
Ngerulmud is not the largest city in Palau. That is Koror, which makes Palau one of the countries whose capital is not their biggest city.
Ngerulmud at a glance
| Country | 🇵🇼 Palau |
|---|---|
| Capital since | October 2006 |
| Largest city in Palau | Koror |
| Time zone | UTC+09:00 (PWT) |
| Currency | United States dollar (USD) |
About Ngerulmud
Ngerulmud has been the capital of Palau since October 2006, when the seat of government moved here from Koror City.
Koror City was Palau's capital until October 2006, when the seat of government moved to the newly built Ngerulmud on Babeldaob. Koror remains the country's largest town.
Ngerulmud has no permanent fixed population, which makes it the least-populous capital city of any sovereign nation in the world.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Ngerulmud.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Palau?
Is Ngerulmud the largest city in Palau?
Where is Ngerulmud located?
When did Ngerulmud become the capital of Palau?
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What time zone is Ngerulmud in?
What currency is used in Ngerulmud?
See the full profile of Palau on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.